Wire Wrapping a Dragon Eye

Wire Wrapping a Dragon Eye Pedent

         On the path to better improve my skills and learn from those who skills blow my current set out of the water, I took a wire wrapping class at Lillstreet Art Center with Cassie Chamness. Cassie is a talented wire wrapping and weaving artist and cabochon connoisseur. She took the time to explain the basics to myself and the two other students in the class as well as some more advanced techniques. We learned how important it is to straighten the wires first (this is a pain in the butt by the way). We learned that securing the wires in 2 places is a must. And we learned that you don’t have to go in with a plan (which is AMAZING!!!). We learned how to use larger wires to go around the main stone and hold it in place with strategically placed bends and twists as well as how to use thinner wires to weave in and around the larger ones to make the bail and add an artistic flair. She also showed us how to coil wire and how we could incorporate it. Throughout the class, Cassie regaled us with tales of her stone hunting and pendant creating.

         Prior to this class, I had attempted to wire wrap stones in settings similar to the ones Cassie taught us. I bought the tape, I measured the right amount, I bent it at the allocated amount, I followed the written directions, but it did not work. But I learn best from a live person, and if a person is not available, then from a video, but I last tried to learn this skill from a book, and it did not work. I have wire wrapped pieces, but they have been more net wrapping and not setting, symmetrical, twisting wrapping. But with this class, I can now combine all of these wire wrapping skills I have and create some amazing pieces. Some examples of these can be seen in my store. Please come check them out. 

And We're Off

The website is officially live! Yay!!! Happy dance. The last three weeks of late nights; researching till my eyes watered; weaving wire till my fingers cramped; setting up new accounts and asking questions till my laptop reminded me that I accidentally unplugged it 5 hours ago to get more comfortable; it's all culminated in this!

Now the nerves set in. How do I get it out there? Did I dot all my I's and cross all my T's (metaphorically speaking of course)? Will it appeal to my target audience? I believe it will, I trust it will, but the nerves are still there.

To calm the nerves I reassure myself that this week will I'll set aside time to get to know Pinterest and Instagram a bit better and work on my marketing skills. I will also devote at least double that amount of time to creating some amazing new pieces to add to the store. These commitments seem to calm my nerves and add a bit of excitement.

I wonder what creativity will come from this week's energy. I guess only time will tell.

My Dragon Fly

As a graduation present to myself I signed up for an Intro to Bezel and Pendent making class at Tytin Jewelry. I had already taken a ring making class there and practiced some on my own as well as made a few metal pieces, so was not a complete novice, but it was still nerve wracking. I wanted something that represented a new beginning, that represented the various aspects of me, that looked cool, that I could “fly with.”

And so the sketching began.

I first wanted a dragon, but the thought of having to cut out with a saw a design that intricate was too intimidating, so that was scrapped. Then just a dragon’s wing…but I couldn’t figure out how to get it to look like an actual wing and not a weird shape. So after much thinking I landed on a dragon fly, as it is still a dragon … and it can fly. Get it? *grinning* I also like the colors of dragon flies in real life so even if I couldn’t get the colors on the pendent it still referenced it. And the bezel could be the face.

The cut out aspect was easy. One side of wings would have the Shin, the first letter in Hebrew of my name. and the other side would have an upside down stylized “K” to represent the kids I watch and the silly nature I have as an early childhood teacher. And this is the result. Not too bad if I do say so myself.

It's ok to have a past, to have learn from others.

For so long, I thought that it is better, cooler, more legitimate, bought me more street cred if I was all self taught...or at least appeared that way. If I never really shared where I learned a skill, unless it was from a relative, a book I bought, or a video I watched then emulated. If I took an actual class or had someone with the title of teacher who I paid to learn from then I somehow cheated and no longer had the right to the title of entrepreneur or that of a "real" or "original" artist. 

I have, finally, come to the realization, that this whole thought process is total malarkey. Talking with some amazing teachers, watching and listening to some amazing artists who are so generous with their time and creativity have shown me that great artists and entrepreneurs, or at least those that I wish to emulate, come from somewhere and share what they know to help others on their journey. 

So to do this I will be sharing information on classes I have been taking, where I have been learning some of my skills, what I have been practicing, who I have been learning from. I will be going into how I have taught myself various skills and where I have gone to learn some of the rules that have helped me do what I do better and do things I never thought I could or didn't even enter my brain as concepts. I hope you all will take whatever you are interested in and share any knowledge you have with others as well. You never know where you might find a kindred spirit. 

Embracing, or trying to, this whole social media thing

For so many years I have fought the whole social media craze. It felt like an invasion of privacy, even though it was voluntary. I value my privacy, and come on, let's be real, no one is interested in all the minutia details of everyone's lives. But recently there is more and more that I want to share with so many people; so many new and interesting techniques and inspirations I am coming across; new ideas I want to run by people and know if they are interested in hearing more, seeing more, possibly even buying more. So I have decided to embrace, or at least try to embrace this whole social media thing.

Wish me luck everyone!